Posted by Will Shadbolt

We’re only a quarter into 2017, but already the year’s defining marketing trends becoming obvious. As smart phone technology continues to improve, it leaves advertisers with more ways to market to audiences. The Data and Marketing Association (DMA) created a list of potential (mostly mobile-related) trends that could shape 2017, and it appears all are coming to pass. Consider these 6 as your business moves forward.

1. Social media is growing

To the surprise of almost no one, social media companies like Facebook and Instagram have continued to grow. But companies have been slower to start collecting data from these sites and apps. Only recently have businesses really started using analytics. DMA reports that 47% of advertisers see social media as the biggest opportunity for clients currently, and within 5 years, social media is expected to make up 24% of advertising budgets.

2. Market to people in-store

Most millennials use their phone wherever they go, and 74% of them are okay with getting location-based alerts on theirs. This is the perfect chance for marketers to present relevant information to consumers, like discounts or advertisements for products the store carries.

3. Cross-device marketing is on the rise

We’ve previously discussed the importance of cross-device marketing. Tracking consumers across laptops, phones and more is a difficult endeavor, but in the future, it may prove to be the most effective method. Make sure you include this in your upcoming marketing budgets.

4. Use more videos in marketing

Animoto.com reports that 4x as many customers prefer video to text content, and that 1 out of 4 can become disinterested in your business if you don’t feature any videos. And with smart phones and social media, markets for videos are also increasing.

5. Increase programmatic ads

Programmatic advertising, an innovative way of media buying based on algorithms, has grown quickly, and currently makes up 50% of all display advertising. Of that, mobile advertising makes up the majority, comprising roughly 69% of all programmatic ads. This format will only get bigger in the coming years, and you need to get involved before competitors do.

6. Prepare for new smart technology

Chances are your business’s website is already mobile compatible, but what about other smart technology? More consumers are wearing smart watches, and plenty of other smart devices are on the way. Make sure your content can work or display properly on all new technologies.

This might sound like a lot to plan for, but at Giovatto Advertising, we can do all the hard work for you. Our creative team can craft social media content and videos (we even have our own in-house video studio). And our digital team can build websites and advertising for any format, as well as analyze the results, so you know your message is reaching those who matter. Contact Giovatto Advertising today and embrace these new advertising trends!

About the Author

Will Shadbolt

Will’s a bookworm. He proofs copy for clients all day and goes home to read pretentious novels. His love of English brought him to Shenzhen, China, where he taught the language to 4th and 5th graders for a year. Although he enjoyed all of the experience, his favorite part was the pork dumplings.